Its combination of wrestling and football failed spectacularly 16 years ago but now there's talk of another chance for the XFL. NFL ratings are down and many fans are upset with pampered millionaire players, irrational protests and sissified rules.
Media critic Jeff McCall says the XFL's first go round was silly.
"It wasn't very well thought out; it was rather gimmicky and designed pretty much only for television."
But Professor McCall says the NFL is weaker now.
"They might have a better window of opportunity this time because, number one, they could learn from the mistakes of the past but also with the NFL being in disrepair, so to speak, on many levels."
Professor McCall says if they try again the XFL should de-emphasize wrestling and focus on hard-hitting football -- like they promised 16 years ago.
"The perception is the NFL is very corporate and very establishment and I think that would be the main strategy here for a rebirth of the XFL, is to say 'were not establishment and we're not corporate and we're trying to give fans, quote unquote 'real football.'"
Wrestling promoter Vince McMahon has reportedly registered several XFL trademarks and has sold $100-million dollars’ worth of stock to partially finance a return.